What Canada Missed Out On: Find Out the Incredible Story Behind the Avro Arrow!

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The Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow was a late 1950's delta winged interceptor aircraft which incorporated design elements and performance far ahead of its time. Intended to serve as Canada's premiere fighter interceptor into the 1960s and beyond, and replace the CF100, the Arrow program was abruptly cancelled less than one year after its first flight, despite incorporating many advanced features including early fly by wire technology. A victim of bad timing due to the sputnik launch and politics, the demise of the Arrow forever altered the course of the Canadian Aerospace industry, and internationally scattered the talented individuals who worked on the project. Today we will look at the circumstances that spawned this incredible aircraft, it's performance, and lasting legacy, including its team members going on to work on the Gemini, Mercury, and Apollo programs.

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Credits/Attributions:
"The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement."

Photography Credits:

Avro Arrow RL204 Photo:

Nike Hercules Missile Photo:
Megapixie at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Canadian House of Commons

Avro Arrow Replica

RCAF CF-101 Voodo

CF-100 firing missile:
Canadian Department of National Defence, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Canadian Topographic Map:

Mirage IV photos:

This video is an opinion editorial commentary.
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for fair use purposes such as criticism, commentary, parody, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.

All works used in this video (Images, audio etc) belong to their respective authors
(This does not include the audio commentary or licensed BGM).

[paddy]

As a retired Canadian pilot, I'm still furious about the Arrow debacle, but this is one of the best videos I've ever seen on the subject. Very well done.

[vzda]

The worst part isn't the fact that the Arrow wasn't made, it's the fact that Canada then lost the ability to ever make such an advanced military aircraft ever again :(

[pacer]

My Dad worked on the Arrow back in the 50's. He's 91 now and we took him to see the Arrow replica last summer. Told us how crushed everyone was when it was cancelled. Diefenbaker didn't just kill the program, he erased it from history. He'll be forever remembered as Canada's biggest tool.

[daphoenixto]

As a Canadian all I can say is F'n Diefenbaker!!!

[btdtgg]

Such a sad story and tragic ending to what would have been a great pride for all us Canadians.

[flankerchan]

Just like TSR-2.

An aircraft has 4 dimensions, length, wingspan, height and politics.

[PaulO-qzth]

One of my instructors at trade school, Mr. Hargraves, worked on the HVAC system for the Arrow and told us stories about the aircraft. It was amazing to talk to someone who actually help design and build the aircraft. At one time there were a lot of products made in Canada, by Canadian companies. We had a reputation of building good products by hard working people. Now, it seems like we source out everything. We desperately need vaccines and ppe, and again, we are sourcing them from other countries.

[matthenderson]

My grandfather worked at AVRO in Malton. He was bitter about the cancellation of the Arrow and eventual demise of AVRO and cursed Diefenbaker’s name until his death. Wonderful video. I thank you on my grandfather’s behalf.

[glenn_r_frank_author]

It is sad that the Arrow was cancelled and brought down the Canadian Aerospace industry with it. It was visually and apparently functionally ahead of its time.

[canadianobserver]

You did a great job on this. I am always a proud Canadian when I hear about the arrow and prouder still when I think that my grandfather worked on this project. I can tell you with 💯% certainty that not all drafts were destroyed.

[lazarusgrey]

Oh yeah! I’ve been waiting for this episode. By the way, the graphics are outstanding 💯👍💯

[maverikmiller]

"All Arrows go to heaven."
I am not... crying....

[covertovert_]

OMG. Thank you so much for this. You made this canuck very happy — Bonus - most of the avro engineers went on to help in the Apollo missions. 🇨🇦

[buddycat]

nice! in a game called "Project wingman" they have the CF-105 ingame, its really fun to fly.

[AnonymousPerson-cxwk]

This is a severely underrated and deserves to be known by much more people

[kettlechippys]

Those are so damn good CGI renders! love the details on the model, just gotta add some clouds and afterburner effects to raise the production value fantastic work!

[bpindermoss]

I worked at the Canadian Aviation museum which had the Orenda engine on display. I was a security guard. The guys who had worked on the Arrow were always obvious. They would walk up to that engine and grieve. They were grown men who had had the hearts pulled out of them by the Diefenbaker government. I just left them alone. Perhaps the best lesson to come from the Arrow is that Canadians working by themselves, can achieve what other nations can only envy. I've always found it odd that we don't produce our own automobiles, aircraft and assorted world class weaponry. My father was a test engineer for RCEME and he was not an Arrow fan. He did however mention the Bras D'or with pride. He said that it would have rendered, when used with hydrophone tech, nuclear submarines obsolete. It was also cancelled. Dad had seen the Arrow fly and noted that if the pilot made an error over Toronto, he'd be past North Bay before his correction would be noticed. It should also be noted that Canadian armed forces are notorious for understating the abilities of their systems. Understandably so, but it makes me wonder what the Arrow and the Bras D'or could have actually done. Remember the words of Churchill when he said he could rule the world if he had among others, Canadian soldiers. It's a national unstated rule that we denigrate ourselves and our accomplishments, but take a good look at what we can do. Take a really close look. No, our flag is not the enemies' flag of surrender dipped in their blood, but as our enemies have discovered, we are The Free Canadians.

[canuckleshucks]

My Father worked at Orenda, he was a draftsman and helped finalize the blueprints for the turbine blades on the Iroquois engines. When the layoffs were announced, people were in shock, my older sister remembers Mothers on the street crying and consoling each other. I still have a sample section of the turbo fan blades, the tolerances are incredible considering this was before CNC matching.

[Triple]

In my personal, non biased opinion. This is hands down the best Arrow video on YouTube that I've come across. The fact I got chills at the end of the video says a lot.

Shout out to Breedlejuice for going out to Malton for some shots. 🤙🤙

[ravencookie]

This is a video documentary about a fighter jet you’re not allowed to make me feel emotional 😣

Great video.